Shared home media platform to support multi-user control

• US 7,783,703 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Rouady, William Abdo Jr., de Lancey Gibbs, Simon John, Wirtschafter, Jenny Dana, Neider, Jacqueline L., Cai, Linghan, Rafey, Richter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman; Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US11/699,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20080184127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/226, 709/229, 709/232, 709/204, 709/205, 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast

Abstract

A system for and method of enabling people to share a common application context for media presentation and playback is described herein. The presentation results from input from a set of active participants where the input includes a set of media types such as music, artwork, visualizations, photographs and text messages. The participants use personal devices to couple to the system and utilize the application.

Claims

1. A system for sharing digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) a server for receiving and managing the digital content;

b) a server application stored on the server for executing the presentation, wherein the presentation includes a plurality of specific digital content items selected from the digital content on the server and sequentially rendered according to a queue;

c) a media renderer coupled to the server for rendering the presentation;

d) a plurality of client devices coupled to the server for interacting with the digital content; and

e) a client application stored on each client device for communicating with the server and providing real-time common control of a real-time rendering of the presentation by each of the plurality of client devices, wherein each client application enables a user of each of the plurality of devices to contribute to the digital content on the server and to browse and select from the digital content on the server for the presentation, thereby providing real-time contribution of specific digital content items to the presentation while the presentation is being rendered.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the media renderer comprises one or more of a display device and an audio player.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein any of the server, the display and the audio player are contained within a single unit.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the client device couples to the server through a mechanism selected from the group consisting of a network and a direct connection.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of the Internet, a local area network and a private network.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the direct connection is selected from the group consisting of Near Field Communication, Bluetooth, Firewire, Wi-Fi and Universal Serial Bus.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the server application specifies the digital content available and launches a set of communication services for receiving requests.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein communicating with the server further comprises transmitting new digital content to the server.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the digital content is synchronized.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein requests are transmitted by the client device to the server for content playback.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the requests are made from a collection of data available to the server.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the server responds to the requests by queuing the digital content for presentation on the display.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the client device transmits desired digital content to the server.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the server generates a log corresponding to the presentation.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the log is generated as participants select and transmit digital content, wherein the log enables replay of the presentation.

16. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the log is in a standard format for easy distribution as a web log.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein a location of the web log is automatically transmitted to participants.

18. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the client application includes data reflecting a state of the server.

19. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the digital content is preloaded on the server.

20. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the server is for:

a) configuring sources and destinations for the digital content and playback;

b) initializing and controlling settings for the presentation; and

c) controlling the presentation.

21. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the client device is for:

a) browsing available digital content on the server; and

b) requesting selected digital content to be added to the presentation and uploading additional digital content to the server.

22. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the presentation is remotely viewed as a web log.

23. A method of sharing digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) storing the digital content on a server;

b) receiving additional digital content on the server from one or more client devices;

c) selecting from the digital content and the additional digital content by the one or more client devices thereby forming a presentation queue, wherein each of the client devices is enabled to select from the digital content and the additional digital content to form the presentation queue;

d) sequentially rendering any selected digital content and additional digital content according to the presentation queue, wherein each of the client devices is further enabled to select in real-time from the digital content and the additional digital content to contribute in real-time to the presentation queue while the selected digital content and additional digital content is being rendered; and

e) saving log data of the sequentially rendered digital content and additional digital content.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising presenting a user interface on a media rendering device.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising playing the digital content when requested.

26. The method as claimed in claim 23 further comprising posting the log data to an Internet web log.

27. A method of implementing a server application to share digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) launching a server application on a server for executing the presentation;

b) launching a POP server on the server to handle client content transmissions;

c) launching an upload service on the server to handle content requests including local requests and client requests from one or more client devices for selected digital content stored on the server, wherein the selected digital content is added to the presentation, further wherein a client application is stored on each of the one or more client devices for communicating with the server and providing real-time common control of a real-time rendering of the presentation;

d) presenting a user interface on a display of the server;

e) handling the local requests and the client requests;

f) updating the user interface on the display;

g) managing the digital content; and

h) sequentially rendering the selected digital content according to a queue, wherein each of the client devices further enables a user to browse and select in real-time from the digital content on the server, wherein one or more of the client requests are generated in real-time, thereby providing real-time contribution of selected digital content to the queue during rendering.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27 further comprising saving log data of the sequentially rendered digital content.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28 further comprising posting the log data to an Internet web log.

30. A method of implementing a client application to share digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) launching the client application on a client device, the client application for providing real-time common control of a real-time rendering of the presentation;

b) establishing a connection between the client device and with a server;

c) requesting by the client device server data related to content available for playback;

d) requesting by the client device the content from a list of the available content to add to the presentation; and

e) uploading desired additional content from the client device to the server to add to the presentation such that the requested content and the uploaded desired additional content is sequentially rendered by the server according to a queue, wherein the client device further enables a user to browse and select in real-time from the digital content and the additional content on the server, wherein one or more of the content requests are generated in real-time, thereby providing real-time contribution of content to the presentation during rendering.

31. A network of devices for sharing digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) a server for receiving and managing the digital content;

b) a server application stored on the server for executing the presentation, wherein the presentation includes a plurality of specific digital content items selected from the digital content on the server, further wherein the server application sequentially executes the plurality of specific digital content items according to a queue;

c) an audio player coupled to the server for playing audio;

d) a display coupled to the server for displaying the digital content;

e) one or more client devices coupled to the server for interacting with the digital content; and

f) a client application stored on each of the client devices for communicating with the server and providing real-time common control of a real-time rendering of the presentation by each of the plurality of client devices, wherein each client application enables a user of each of the plurality of devices to contribute to the digital content on the server and to browse and select from the digital content on the server for the presentation, thereby providing real-time contribution of specific digital content items to the presentation while the presentation is being rendered, wherein the one or more client devices couple to the server through a mechanism selected from the group consisting of a network and a direct connection.

32. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of the Internet, a local area network and a private network.

33. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the direct connection is selected from the group consisting of Near Field Communication, Bluetooth, Firewire, Wi-Fi and Universal Serial Bus.

34. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the server application specifies the digital content available and launches a set of communication services for receiving requests.

35. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein communicating with the server further comprises transmitting new digital content to the server.

36. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the digital content is synchronized.

37. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein requests are transmitted by each of the one or more client devices to the server for content playback.

38. The network of devices as claimed in claim 37 wherein the requests are made from a collection of data available to the server.

39. The network of devices as claimed in claim 38 wherein the server responds to the requests by queuing the digital content for presentation on the display.

40. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the one or more client devices each transmit desired digital content to the server.

41. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the server generates a log corresponding to the presentation.

42. The network of devices as claimed in claim 41 wherein the log is generated as participants select and transmit digital content, wherein the log enables replay of the presentation.

43. The network of devices as claimed in claim 41 wherein the log is in a standard format for easy distribution as a web log.

44. The network of devices as claimed in claim 43 wherein a location of the web log is automatically transmitted to participants.

45. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the client application includes data reflecting a state of the server.

46. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the digital content is preloaded on the server.

47. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the server is for:

a) configuring sources and destinations for the digital content and playback;

b) initializing and controlling settings for the presentation; and

c) controlling the presentation.

48. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the one or more client devices are for:

a) browsing available digital content on the server; and

b) requesting selected digital content to be added to the presentation and uploading additional digital content to the server.

49. The network of devices as claimed in claim 31 wherein the presentation is remotely viewed as a web log.

50. A system for sharing digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) a server for receiving and managing the digital content; and

b) a server application stored on the server for providing a user interface, wherein the server is configured to receive additional digital content from a client device and to receive requests transmitted by the client device to the server for playback of specific digital content, further wherein the server is configured to respond to the requests by queuing the specific digital content for sequential presentation on a media renderer, wherein the client device is enabled to provide real-time common control of a real-time rendering of the presentation, to allow a user to browse and select from the digital content and the additional digital content on the server and to provide real-time requests for contribution of specific digital content in real-time to the presentation on the media renderer, thereby providing real-time contribution of specific digital content items to the presentation while the presentation is being rendered.

51. The system as claimed in claim 50 further comprising a display coupled to the server for displaying the digital content.

52. The system as claimed in claim 51 further comprising an audio player coupled to the server for playing audio.

53. The system as claimed in claim 52 wherein any of the server, the display and the audio player are contained within a single unit.

54. The system as claimed in claim 50 wherein the client device couples to the server through a mechanism selected from the group consisting of a network and a direct connection.

55. The system as claimed in claim 54 wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of the Internet, a local area network and a private network.

56. The system as claimed in claim 54 wherein the direct connection is selected from the group consisting of Near Field Communication, Bluetooth, Firewire, Wi-Fi and Universal Serial Bus.

57. The system as claimed in claim 50 wherein the server application specifies the digital content available and launches a set of communication services for receiving requests.

58. The system as claimed in claim 50 wherein the digital content is synchronized.

59. The system as claimed in claim 50 wherein the requests are made from a collection of data available to the server.

60. The system as claimed in claim 50 wherein the server generates a log corresponding to the presentation.

61. The system as claimed in claim 60 wherein the log is generated as participants select and transmit digital content, wherein the log enables replay of the presentation.

62. The system as claimed in claim 60 wherein the log is in a standard format for easy distribution as a web log.

63. The system as claimed in claim 62 wherein a location of the web log is automatically transmitted to participants.

64. The system as claimed in claim 50 further comprising a client application stored on the client device for communicating with the server.

65. The system as claimed in claim 64 wherein the client application includes data reflecting a state of the server.

66. The system as claimed in claim 50 wherein the digital content is preloaded on the server.

67. The system as claimed in claim 50 wherein the server is for:

a) configuring sources and destinations for the digital content and playback;

b) initializing and controlling settings for the presentation; and

c) controlling the presentation.

68. The system as claimed in claim 50 wherein the client device is for:

a) browsing available digital content on the server; and

b) requesting selected digital content to be added to the presentation and uploading additional digital content to the server.

69. The system as claimed in claim 50 wherein the presentation is remotely viewed as a web log.

70. A system for sharing digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) a server for receiving, storing and managing the digital content, the server comprising a server application to execute the presentation, wherein the presentation comprises a plurality of specific digital content items of multiple types, selected from the digital content stored on the server and sequentially rendered according to a presentation queue;

b) a plurality of output devices of different types coupled to the server to output the digital content within the presentation queue; and

c) a plurality of client devices coupled to the server for interacting with the digital content, each client device comprising a client application to communicate with the server and provide real-time common control of real-time rendering of the presentation including the plurality of specific digital content items in the presentation queue by each of the plurality of client devices, wherein each client application enables a user of each of the plurality of devices to contribute to the digital content stored on the server and to browse and select from the digital content on the server in real-time for the presentation queue, thereby providing real-time contribution of specific digital content items to the presentation queue during the rendering of the presentation.

71. The system as claimed in claim 70 wherein the plurality of output devices comprises a display device and an audio player.

72. The system as claimed in claim 70 wherein the client devices couple to the server through a mechanism selected from the group consisting of a network and a direct connection.

73. The system as claimed in claim 72 wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of the Internet, a local area network and a private network.

74. The system as claimed in claim 72 wherein the direct connection is selected from the group consisting of Near Field Communication, Bluetooth, Firewire, Wi-Fi and Universal Serial Bus.

75. The system as claimed in claim 70 wherein the server generates a log corresponding to the presentation.

76. The system as claimed in claim 75 wherein the log is generated as participants select and transmit digital content to enable replay of the presentation.

77. A system for sharing digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) a server for receiving and managing the digital content;

b) a server application stored on the server, comprising a first and second presentation queue, and configured to execute the presentation, wherein the presentation comprises;

i) a first type of digital content items selected from the digital content; and

ii) a second type of digital content items selected from the digital content, wherein the first and second type of digital content items are able to be rendered simultaneously, and further wherein the first type of digital content items are queued on the first presentation queue and the second type of digital content items are queued on the second presentation queue for sequencing the simultaneous rendering during the execution of the presentation;

c) a media renderer coupled to the server for rendering the presentation;

d) a plurality of client devices coupled to the server for interacting with the digital content; and

e) a client application stored on each client device for communicating with the server and providing common control of the presentation by each of the plurality of client devices, wherein each client application enables a user of each of the plurality of devices to contribute to the digital content on the server and to select from the digital content first or second type digital content items for the presentation, thereby contributing to the first type items in the first queue or the second type items in the second queue.

78. The system as claimed in claim 77 wherein the first type of digital content items comprise either music, artwork, visualizations, photos, text messages or other media types.

79. The system as claimed in claim 78 wherein the second type of digital content items comprise either music, artwork, visualizations, photos, text messages or other media types, wherein the second type of digital content items are of a different media type than the first type of digital content items.

80. The system as claimed in claim 79 wherein the presentation further comprises one or more additional types of digital content items selected from the digital content, wherein the first, second and additional types are able to be rendered simultaneously and further wherein the additional type of digital content items are queued on one or more additional presentation queues for sequencing the simultaneous rendering during the execution of the presentation.

81. A system for sharing digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) a server for receiving and managing the digital content;

b) a server application stored on the server for executing the presentation, wherein the presentation includes a plurality of specific digital content items selected from the digital content on the server and sequentially rendered according to a queue, further wherein the server application is configured to provide real-time common control of a real-time rendering of the presentation, and to enable a user to browse and select from the digital content on the server for the presentation in real-time, thereby providing real-time contribution of specific digital content items to the presentation while the presentation is being rendered; and

c) a media renderer coupled to the server for rendering the presentation.

82. A method of implementing a server application to share digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) launching a server application on a server for executing the presentation;

b) launching an upload service on the server to handle content requests for selected digital content stored on the server, wherein the selected digital content is added to the presentation, further wherein a client application is stored on each of the one or more client devices for communicating with the server and providing real-time common control of a real-time rendering of the presentation;

c) presenting a user interface on a display of the server;

d) handling the content requests;

e) updating the user interface on the display;

f) managing the digital content; and

g) sequentially rendering the selected digital content according to a queue, wherein each of the client devices is further enabled to browse and select in real-time from the digital content on the server, wherein one or more of the content requests are generated in real-time, thereby providing real-time contribution of selected digital content to the queue during rendering of the presentation.

83. A system for sharing digital content in a presentation comprising:

a) a client device for sending digital content and content requests; and

b) a client application stored on the client device for providing a user interface, wherein the client device is configured to send digital content to a server, to provide real-time common control of a real-time rendering of the presentation and to send content requests to the server to add specific digital content to presentation rendered on a media renderer, wherein the client application enables a user of the client device to browse and select from the digital content on the server, further wherein the client device is configured to provide real-time content requests for contribution of specific digital content in real-time to the presentation on the media renderer while the presentation is being rendered.